Reading links by Allan Alach

Allan writes: New Zealand teachers and children have now completed the end of term one and now have two weeks break until next term. I stopped referring to these breaks as school holidays a number of years ago, as this conveys the wrong impression to people who are ignorant of the demands of teaching. Instead this break consists of a week or so for teachers to recover and recharge (this can be viewed as sick leave), while in the second  week teachers’ thoughts turn to preparation for the coming term.

 This week’s articles are a collection of odds and ends!

 I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allan.alach@ihug.co.nz.

 This week’s readings:

 The myth of learning styles

Prepare to be challenged….

http://bit.ly/XxjWd7

 Charter schools are not about charter schools

This article by Kelvin Smythe is a superb appraisal of the charter school agenda in New Zealand, and which can easily be adapted to describe similar movements in other countries.

http://www.networkonnet.co.nz/index.php?section=latest&id=406

 Thanks to Bruce Hammonds for the following links:

 Banned TED Talk: Nick Hanauer ‘Rich people don't create jobs’ Worth watching for the first time, second time, third time …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKCvf8E7V1g

 Ernesto Sirolli: Want to help someone? Shut up and listen!

‘When most well-intentioned aid workers hear of a problem they think they can fix, they go to work. This, Ernesto Sirolli suggests, is naïve. In this funny and impassioned talk, he proposes that the first step is to listen to the people you're trying to help, and tap into their own entrepreneurial spirit. His advice on what works will help any entrepreneur.’

I suggest this applies equally well to teachers! What do you think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chXsLtHqfdM

 Why Rising Test Scores May Not Mean Increased Learning

‘A rise in test scores leads most people to believe good things are happening in their schools. Not unreasonably, politicians and parents alike infer that students have learned more when tests cores go up. But since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law was passed that inference may be unwarranted. Sadly, there are numerous reasons why rising test scores may not be related to increases in student learning.’

http://wapo.st/13lxA3P

 A Dog in the Barn: Parallels in Teaching and Parenting

Reflect on this.

http://bit.ly/14AB4UY

 Moral behavior in animals

Now for something completely different ...

http://bit.ly/Zw2N4q